Psalm 109:1-4 (NLT)“O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof while the wicked slander me and tell lies about me. They surround me with hateful words and fight against me for no reason. I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them!”
Devotion
This world is full of wickedness and we are not exempt from the effects. No matter how good we are towards others we cannot expect that the same will be done to us. Not everyone follows the golden rule to “do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.” Our enemies who act out of a spirit of bitterness or hatred will not know how to love and will not treat us well and their actions are not something we can control. However, we cannot let our love grow cold even in the midst of great adversity. It takes prayer to stay in a spirit of love towards our enemies and to not take on offense. In these situations, we must give ourselves to prayer.
As pastor Franklin said, “Offense happens but being offended is a choice we make.” It takes prayer to keep offense from settling in our hearts. For us to take on offense and act out on that offense is to become just like those who have offended us. We are that close to becoming the offender instead of the blessing. The word says that we are to pray for our enemies. It unarms our enemies when we pray for them. It also helps us to respond in love rather than to react in offense.
Abigail appealed to David concerning Nabal’s ill treatment of him, not to avenge himself, reminding him that his life and his future was in the Lord’s hands. 1 Samuel 25:26 “Now since the Lord has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the Lord lives and you live, may your enemies be like Nabal” (his name means fool and folly goes with him). 1 Samuel 25:30-31 “When the Lord has done for my master every good thing that he promised concerning him, and has made him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself.”
Abigail’s wisdom was well received by David, and he made the choice to not avenge. Nabal returned David’s goodness with evil but David made the choice to act worthy of his calling and to let revenge be in God’s hands.
Today’s Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I confess that I often remain offended rather than turning to you in prayer and blessing those who seemed to initiate the offense. By the blood of Jesus help me repent and be quick to return blessing, prayer, and good to those who do or intend evil towards me. Help me to close my mouth rather than offer accusations, gossip, or slander. And when I open my mouth, help me offer blessing and prayer even for my enemies. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
Think of someone who has lied about you or spoken evil about you. Remind yourself to pray about the situation and for that person each time you are reminded of it. Jesus Christ, the Messiah himself, also experienced false accusations and is able to deliver us as well as help us bear up under them.
Resources:
Reading through the New Testament: Today’s reading - John 1-10
21-Day Fasting Journey with Jentezen Franklin
This is so powerful!! God has recently taught me the BLESSINGS that flow from praying for my “enemy”. Not only am I blessing God, by being obedient to Him, and blessing my “enemy”, by asking God to help them, but I am also being blessed handing the entire situation over to Him.
Matthew 5:44 (KJV, EASY)
Psalm 56:8 (NIV)